Batu Tapak Maung: Western Edge Of 3rd Level excavation – Version 1 :

The recent excavation and discovery Gunung Padang Megalith/Megalithic pyramid in Cianjur, West Java is considered as the greatest archaeological find of the century. The discovery of Gunung Padang Megalith pyramid have changed the worldwide views about human civilization. The evidence clearly points to there having been at least one globe-spanning civilization before our own, and that it was destroyed by the dramatic world-wide sea level rise of around 125 meters at the sudden end of the last ice age, around 11,600 years ago. Further research and excavation of this Gunung Padang site will benefit science and archaeology. This photo shows the western edge area of Batu Tapak Maung (Tiger Paw Stone) located in the 3rd level of Gunung Padang Pyramid. This photo is taken near the edge of the 3rd level.

Gunung Padang is a megalithic site located in Karyamukti village, Cianjur regency, West Java Province of Indonesia, 50 km southwest of the city of Cianjur or 6 kilometers from Lampegan station. It has been called the largest megalithic site in all of Southeastern Asia, and has produced carbon dating results which, if confirmed, suggest it is extraordinarily old. The survey believes that Gunung Padang was built in four different eras.

The existence of the site was mentioned in Rapporten van de Oudheidkundige Dienst (ROD, “Report of the Department of Antiquities”) in 1914. The Dutch historian N. J. Krom also mentioned it in 1949. Employees of the National Archeology Research Centre visited the site in 1979 for a study of its archaeology, history, and geology.

Located at 885 metres above sea level, the site covers a hill in a series of terraces bordered by retaining walls of stone that are accessed by about 400 successive andesite steps rising about 95 metres. It is covered with massive rectangular stones of volcanic origin. The Sundanese people consider the site sacred and believe it was the result of King Siliwangi’s attempt to build a palace in one night. The asymmetric Punden Berundak faces northwest, to Mount Gede and was constructed for the purpose of worship. Based on various dating techniques, the site was completed by 5000 BC and quite likely much earlier.

The Gunung Padang independent and integrated research team (TTRM), has pushed the Government of Indonesia for a better conservation effort of this marvelous find of the century. Ali Akbar, the head of the research team, revealed that US$25 million had been raised for the funding of the Gunung Padang project in 1979, a quarter of which came from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).